IV. Adding Visual Appeal

SIMPLICITY IS THE ULTIMATE SOPHISTICATION (LEONARDO DA VINCI).

Researchers are not overly preoccupied with how their research reports look, but when trying to get the attention of busy, preoccupied policy makers and managers, they need to ensure their work is clear, legible, well-organized and succinct. This section provides useful and simple tips for adding visual appeal to a research summary. Keep in mind that adding visual appeal does not require access to fancy graphic design software. Furthermore, making a summary more visually appealing should not be confused with adding unnecessary or distracting graphics or images. And finally, while adding visual appeal may improve the look of a summary, the content must be able to hold water all on its own.

PROPOSED OBJECTIVE

Students should be able to present their summary in a way that is visually appealing for policy makers and managers. This will include making use of white space, using graphics where appropriate, and following simple tips such as using bulleted points or using catchy pieces of text that get to the point of whole sections or summaries.

ORGANIZING TEXT — KEEPING IT SIMPLE

When it comes to writing text, keeping it short and sweet is easier said than done. To keep the text simple and clear, try using:

an attention-grabbing title;
plain, consistent (or complementary) fonts;
indents, justification or bulleted points;
useful numbers;
helpful graphics with clear labels; or
catchy pieces of text that get to the point of a section or entire summary.

Of course, the topic and content will drive which of these techniques is best used to organize the text.

USING GRAPHICS — LESS MAY BE MORE

Good graphics — such as tables, charts and images — may be a useful tool to enhance the readers' understanding of a complicated issue. In particular, graphics can make relationships clear and illustrate important scientific or economic information.⁷³ Here are some tips for creating great graphics:

Every graphic must have a purpose.
Graphs should be simple and clear. "Think of a graphic like a highway sign — it goes by fast, the driver doesn't get a chance to study it. The information has to be easily absorbed."
Make a clear transition from text to graphics.⁷³

These days, programs like Excel, Word and PowerPoint make it possible for students to create a number of different kinds of graphs and charts. When using these programs, try not to get carried away. Always start graphs at a proper zero point so as not to distort the effect size. And avoid using 3-D graphs, as they can be difficult to read and may distort the effects depending on how they are tilted.

The table in the Mythbuster, "Myth: The risks of immunizing children often outweigh the benefits," is a particularly good example of a graphic that worked.⁷⁴ This table — comparing the effects of diseases and common vaccine side-effects — allowed a lot of information to be communicated in a small amount of space.

ADDING WHITE SPACE

White space is empty space; it is space where there is no text and no graphics.⁷⁵ At only two pages, the Foundation's research summaries already have limited space for content. But if Mythbusters and Evidence Boost used every inch of space for text and design, the look of the final product would be too heavy and, therefore, too difficult to read. Adding white space creates a "balanced, harmonious layout" that simply "feels right."⁷⁵

Take a look at the following examples:

Example 1

Example 2

Example 3

The first example is cramped and difficult to read. In the second and third examples, adding white space — in these cases by adding margins, increasing the font of the heading and adding breaks between lines and paragraphs — creates harmony and visual comfort.

The Foundation continues to explore strategies to make our research summaries more visually appealing. We welcome readers to consider critiquing our work. Meanwhile, for tips about how to add white space, check out Whitespace⁷⁵ and How to add white space.⁷⁶

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